Geography Concepts and Terms

Front

Human Characteristics of Place

Back

These include bridges, houses, parks, density of population, language patterns, religion, architecture, and political systems.

Front

Place

Back

An area that is defined by everything in it. All places have features that give them personality and distinguish them from other places on the globe.

Front

Density

Back

The number of things—which could be people, animals, plants, or objects—in a certain area.

Front

Physical Characteristics of Place

Back

These include land forms (mountains), bodies of water, climate, soils, natural vegetation and animal life.

Front

Prime Meridian

Back

The meridian, designated at 0° longitude, which passes through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England.

Front

Equator

Back

An imaginary line drawn around the earth equally distant from both poles, dividing the earth into northern and southern hemispheres and constituting the parallel of latitude 0°.

Front

Thematic Map

Back

A type of map that spatially displays one or more variables, such as population, or income level, within a specific area.

Front

Hierarchical Diffusion

Back

The spread of an idea from persons or nodes of authority or power to other persons or places (ex: technology, laws, fashion).

Front

Robinson Projection

Back

A projection that maintains overall shapes and relative positions without extreme distortion. Most classrooms use this projection.

Front

Mercator Projection

Back

This map is useful for ocean navigation because it maintains accurate direction, but land near the poles appears distorted and much larger than reality.